1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a support mechanism for support of one of a plurality of passenger seats arranged in parallel in a vehicle compartment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As in the support mechanism, the support leg retained in its set-up condition under the load of the turnover spring, the support leg tends to be folded if applied with an excessive load against the turnover spring or applied with a heavy load from a seat belt anchor. For this reason, a relatively strong spring is used as the turnover spring. In use of such a turnover spring, a large effort is required to set up or fold the support leg.
As in the support mechanism, the support leg retained in its set-up condition under the load of the turnover spring, the support let tends to be folded if applied with an excessive load against the turnover spring or applied with a heavy load from a seat belt anchor. For this reason, a relatively strong spring is used as the turnover spring. In use of such a turnover spring, a large effort is required to set up or fold the support leg.
It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide a support mechanism capable of firmly retaining a support leg in an upright position without using a strong turnover spring and of smoothly setting up or folding the support leg without any large effort in operation.
According to the present invention, the object is accomplished by providing a support mechanism for support of a seat cushion of a passenger seat at one side thereof on a vehicle compartment floor, which comprises a side leg pivotally mounted to a support frame of the seat cushion at one side thereof to be retained in an upright position and housed in a space under the bottom of the seat cushion; a turnover spring engaged at one end thereof with the support frame of the seat cushion and at the other end thereof with the side leg for biasing the side leg toward its folding direction or set-up direction when it is turned over during pivotal movement of the side leg; lock means for restricting pivotal movement of the side leg placed in its upright position and for retaining the side leg in its upright position; and release means for releasing a locked condition of the side leg.
In a practical embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the lock means comprises a lock bracket pivotally mounted to the support frame of the seat cushion to support the side leg secured thereto, the lock bracket having an outer periphery formed with an engagement recess; and a lock pin mounted on the support frame of the seat cushion to be brought into engagement with the engagement recess of the lock bracket when the side leg is retained in its upright position and to be disengaged from the engagement recess of the lock bracket when the side leg is pivotally moved upward; wherein the turnover spring is engaged at one end thereof with the lock pin and at the other end thereof with the lock bracket for biasing the lock pin toward the outer periphery of the lock bracket and for maintaining the lock pin in engagement with the engagement recess of the lock bracket; and wherein the release means comprises a release lever pivotally mounted to the support frame of the seat cushion coaxially with the lock bracket, the release lever having an outer periphery formed with a cam surface maintained in resilient engagement with the lock pin under the load of the turnover spring to disengage the lock pin from the engagement recess of the lock bracket when it is moved upward.